Friday, August 05, 2016

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Masters of Sex, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, All the Way, All Things Must Pass, Game of Thrones, Chuck D, Melissa Etheridge, Brian Posehn, Mars, Florida State football, Killing Reagan, 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, and Guerrilla.

- This week, released the key art and first footage from season four of its critically-acclaimed drama series Masters of Sex. Premiering on Sunday, September 11th at 10:00, Masters of Sex stars Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Michael Sheen and Emmy nominee Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Season four begins in 1968 and will take viewers into the “swinging ‘70s,” during which time the series’ characters will take on new partners both professionally, personally and sexually.

- Now in his third acclaimed season, John Oliver proves, each and every week, that he has his finger on the comedic pulse of America. The only news-oriented weekly comedy series to be presented on Sundays, Oliver's take on current events, honed at The Daily Show, is unique, biting and hilarious. And now, HBO is making it easier than ever to take Oliver wherever you go by making the S3 entire Season Pass of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver available for the very first time via Google Play!

- "Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins, emancipation will be a proclamation, but not a fact." -- Lyndon B. Johnson. HBO Home Entertainment proudly presents the September 6th DVD with Digital HD and Blu-ray with Digital HD release of the critically acclaimed All the Way. Following its critically acclaimed, award-winning Broadway run, All the Way (starring four-time Emmy® winner Bryan Cranston who reprises his Tony Award-winning role, is a riveting behind-the-scenes look at President Lyndon B. Johnson's (LBJ) tumultuous first year in office in the wake of President Kennedy's assassination. Bonus material on both sets a Historical Featurette and Bryan Cranston's Transformative Video becoming LBJ. DVD with Digital HD & Blu-ray® with Digital HD will street
on September 6, 2016.

- Directed by Colin Hanks, and featuring music icons like Dave Grohl, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen, All Things Must Pass is a feature documentary film examining this iconic company's explosive trajectory, tragic demise, and legacy forged by its rebellious founder Russ Solomon. For seven years, Hanks took on the documentary that lamented and celebrated the Sacramento-based record store that grew from his hometown into an American retail powerhouse. The DVD can be ordered now at the MVD Shop.

- On August 1, in conjunction with the release of Game of Thrones: The Complete Sixth Season on Digital HD, HBO invites viewers across the land to the launch of a brand new political movement: The GoT Party! One party that everyone can get behind, TheGoTParty (GoTParty.com) is an unique, interactive and engaging online campaign asking the series' fans to help select the very first Game of Thrones Party ticket, pledge their support for their candidate and purchase of Game of Thrones: The Complete Sixth Season on Digital HD (or individual episodes) from all leading digital platforms.

- Chuck D on protesting at the R.N.C., revisiting “Fight the Power” and why Donald Trump is like an amusement park attraction at The New York Times Magazine.

- Melissa Etheridge has done some pretty gutsy things in her stellar career. She's shown no fear in forthrightly standing up for her truths, both in her songs and her life. But as an artist she's never quite laid it on the line like she does on MEmphis Rock and Soul, scheduled for release on October 7th, 2016 via Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group. On MEmphis Rock and Soul, Etheridge brings her powerful voice and passionate vision to some of the era-defining treasures of modern music - the Staple Singers' "Respect Yourself," Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)" and "I've Got Dreams to Remember," Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Coming," Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign," Johnnie Taylor's "Who's Making Love" - as well as some real discoveries she found in her explorations deep into the Stax catalog. Etheridge could not be happier with the results: an album that completely captures the spirit she felt as a kid hearing these songs. And now she's thrilled to share her MEmphis Rock and Soul. To pre-order MEmphis Rock and Soul, please visit: pledgemusic.com/melissaetheridge.

- Brian Posehn, best known for his roles in Mr. Show and The Sarah Silverman Show, is poised to release Criminally Posehn, an all-new comedy album out on Rooftop Comedy, available August 19, exclusively for streaming on Audible Channels. It will be made available for sale on all digital stores, wherever albums are sold September 23, 2016.

- Premiering on the National Geographic Channel in 171 countries and 45 languages this November, Mars — which is set both in the future and in the present day — will redefine television storytelling by combining feature-film-quality scripted drama and visual effects with best-in-class documentary sequences to drive forward a cohesive, edge-of-your seat story of mankind’s thrilling quest to colonize Mars. This epic six-part global event series tells the inspiring story from the vantage point of a fictitious crewed mission in 2033.

- Showtime Sports released the trailer for A Season with Florida State football, the all-access, season-long documentary series that chronicles the Florida State Seminoles’ high-stakes quest for the 2016 College Football National Championship.

- On March 30, 1981, at 2:27 p.m. six shots were fired from a .22-caliber pistol at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. On one side of the gun was an aimless and deranged young man, misguided by an obsession with an American actress. His intended victim: the U.S. president. Though he failed in his assassination attempt, he succeeded in changing not only a presidency but a man and a marriage. On Sunday, Oct. 16, National Geographic Channel will go deep inside this harrowing moment in U.S. history, with Killing Reagan, produced with Scott Free Productions and based on the New York Times best-selling book by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. The two-hour movie event is the fourth in a successful partnership between NGC, Scott Free and O’Reilly, with the previous three collaborations — Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy and Killing Jesus — serving as the network’s three most-watched programs of all time and earning multiple Emmy nominations. The movie will air globally in early 2017 on National Geographic Channels in 171 countries and in 45 languages.

- Lily Tomlin – an entertainment maverick whose talents put her at the pinnacle of comedy, acting, writing and producing – has been named the 53rd recipient of SAG-AFTRA's highest tribute: the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. Tomlin will be presented the performers union's most prestigious distinction at the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, which will be simulcast live nationwide on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017 at 8:00. The SAG Life Achievement Award will join Tomlin's extraordinary collection of preeminent industry and public honors, which includes a 2014 Kennedy Center Award, the 2003 Mark Twain Prize for A merican Humor, two Peabody Awards, multiple Emmys® (including this year's Lead Comedy Actress nomination), numerous American Comedy Awards, two Tony® Awards, a Grammy®, a Writers Guild of America Award and both the Crystal Award and the Lucy Award from Women in Film. That Tomlin embodies the SAG Life Achievement Award’s "finest ideals of the acting profession" is amply celebrated by these and her numerous other professional and philanthropic commendations.

- Babou Ceesay (Getting On, Eye In The Sky), Laurence Olivier Award winner Rory Kinnear (PENNY DREADFUL, Spectre) and Daniel Mays (Line of Duty, Mrs Biggs) have joined the cast of the new six-part drama thriller Guerrilla. Also joining the cast are Nathaniel Martello-White (Deadmeat, Misfits, Trial and Retribution), Denise Gough (People, Places & Things, The Duchess of Malfi), Brandon Scott (Grey’s Anatomy), Zawe Ashton (Fresh Meat, Not Safe for Work) and Nicholas Pinnock (Fortitude). Set to air on Showtime and Sky Atlantic in 2017, Guerrilla, which begins production in London this week, centers on a politically active couple who set out to change the world. Academy Award® winner John Ridley (American Crime) will create, write and direct the series. Golden Globe® winner Idris Elba (Luther, Beasts of No Nation) will co-star and serve as an executive producer through his Green Door Pictures. Ridley will write the majority of the episodes and will direct the first two and the finale, with Emmy® Award nominee Sam Miller (Luther, Fortitude, American Crime) directing the remaining episodes.

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Ray Donovan: So after half the season dedicated to this casino heist, it ends with the owner with his money back, does not even bother to press charges (presumably to get the insurance money and the original money) and Ray does not even need that money to bribe the FBI guy to blackmail the other guy because Micky is going to turn himself in. But hey, at least we got to hear Ray sing Bob Seger. We dd get some set up of two storylines that will likely end disastrously: apparently Bunchy is now a single father and Connor was able to break into the gun safe. Checkov would have us believe that gun will go off sometime in the third act, the question now is who is he going to shoot?

Roadies: So Janine is the chick from The Civil Wars. Alrighty. Though she was actually competent as the girl next door that got away. But is she really going to hook up with Reg. Or as importantly, is Reg going to hook up with the girl who broke his boss’ heart? Well, if it ends the will they or won’t they storyline with KellyAnne, I would be happy.

BrainDead: Oh no, Ramona Flowers better not be taken over by the bugs. Hopefully she is able to get to her bacon before they push out her brain or Gustav arrives in time. But c’mon Ramona, you throw out all the stuff he brought but did not throw his flowers at him?
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

Casual: Oh, hey, Leon, I forgot you even existed. Where has he been, he was the best part of the first season. He should have gotten the C-storyline; it probably would have been more interesting than the teen cancer one. Then you have Pete Campbell as vindictive as ever, lowballing Alex for his company. But since there is still four episodes left, I am guessing Alex will be fighting this even though his partner may take the money and run.
You can watch Casual on Hulu.

Mr. Robot: So we are just going to get a flashback at the start of every episode? Meh. At least this was a bit more informative than last week’s F(un) Society origin. I guess we saw the start of Mr. Robot and where the masks came from. There was also the return of White Rose as him and Evil Corp guy talk about there still as unknown Illuminati plot on society. But still I am still a little down on this season. Hopefully now that Elliot is back to hacking, things will pick up.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Tyrant: And I thought Jamal not coming back to life would be the most shocking part of the episode, nope his son actually being Barry ended up being more shocking. Sure they had to do some retconning by saying Jamal had low sperm, oh his other son (who died two episodes ago without much of a mention) was not really his son either.
You can download Tyrant on iTunes.

The Challenge: Rivals III: So after a whole season, we are left with Johnny Bananas, his cousin, and a team that was booted the very first week, but since so many teams left prematurely, were brought back, were sent into the jungle over half the time and managed to not pull the black skull once. How anticlimactic. At least they goosed the finale with a twist where you can screw over your rival and take all the money. At first I thought you have to split the cash otherwise you are the first one out in future Challenges, but if you are Sarah and you are ready to go to grad school and pop out some babies, you might as well take the money and run. Plus that would be funny if she screwed over Johnny Bananas twice in consecutive seasons.
You can download The Challenge: Rivals III on iTunes.